Peaches and Berries and Squash, Oh My!

Except for folks living under a rock for the past few years, it’s hard to ignore the buzz generated by the weekly farmers’ markets that sell local produce, handcrafted goods and mouthwatering meals. A trip to one of these markets offers a wonderful way to spend an afternoon: lots of happy people milling about, buckets and tables bursting with delicious fresh produce and prepared foods, and the light of a sunny summer day casting a golden glow on everything. Shopping locally has a profound social, economic, and environmental impact on the world as well. Here are some of the basic facts about this relatively new trend in Austin.

One: Local farmers staff farmers’ markets. By default, it’s realistic only for those that live in the surrounding area to travel into town to sell their goods, and Austin Farmers’ Market actually restricts participating farms to within a 150-mile radius of the city (the exception being citrus farms). Two: Most farmers use sustainable farming methods. Sustainable farming is the ability of a farm to produce food indefinitely, while maintaining ecosystem health. Major concerns are the long-term effects of various farming practices on soil properties and processes essential for crop productivity and the long-term ability of farmers to manage resources such as labor. Three: Sustainable implies organic, whether or not the farm is actually USDA Organic certified. Since the certification process can be long, arduous and expensive, many farmers rely upon a general understanding that they employ environmentally conscious farming methods to bring delicious produce to the table responsibly. Four: Sustainable farming practices help reduce the “carbon footprint” people have on the environment. Everyone knows about global warming, but most people associate the problem primarily with “all those SUVs.” However, the amount of energy required to transport large quantities of produce across great distances (quickly enough so that it is fresh when it arrives) is enormous. Buying locally dramatically reduces this energy cost. And a greater sense of community is fostered because people naturally have a deeper feeling of responsibility toward and attachment to those that live in the same place as they do. Love thy neighbor, after all.

Beyond all this, the food and the atmosphere provide the real reasons for shopping the farmers’ markets. Imagine the hustle and bustle of a crowded market in Marrakesh, one bursting with exotic smells and the passionate cries of vendors hawking their wares. Austin’s farmers’ markets may be replete with sumptuous scents, but there is no need for much hawking: the goods at these markets sell themselves. Compare the crowded, tiled aisles at the supermarket with grassy lanes of goods in an open-air market. On Wednesday afternoons at the Austin Farmers’ Market at the Triangle downtown, children frolic in the fountain, keeping cool and keeping busy! Or, if a family has a baseball or softball game on Saturday at the Field of Dreams, they can pop across Highway 71 to the Bee Cave Farmers’ Market and walk away with a veritable cornucopia of delights.

There are two specific markets to keep in mind; the first is the Austin Farmers’ Market. Austin Farmers’ Market sets up shop two days a week. The Saturday market runs from 9 am – 1 pm and is located downtown in Republic Square (4th and Guadalupe); the Wednesday market runs from 4 pm – 8 pm and is located inside the Triangle (the new development up north where Guadalupe and Lamar merge). The Austin Farmers’ Market, run by the Sustainable Food Center, has been around for five years now, the Wednesday market being added only a few months ago. And in those five years, the market has grown to accommodate approximately 50 vendors, with further expansion in the future projected as both community interest and awareness increase. Vendors at the Austin Farmers’ Market include farms, ranches, dairies, nurseries, restaurants, food booths and artisans and offer fresh fruits and veggies, handmade crafts, meat practically straight from the cow, and cheese from a goat that probably has a name and his own room in the vendor’s barn. And, to top it off, there is always live music at each market to make the shopping experience that much more pleasurable, providing yet another reason to visit the farmers’ market instead of the supermarket: local, live performances rather than elevator music!

Not convinced that our Hill Country offers the best produce available? Well, there are more than a few restaurants in Austin that disagree. Eastside Café serves as a prime example of how to reduce one’s carbon footprint when dining out and does so in style. A vendor at the Austin Farmers’ Market, Eastside Café uses as much local product as possible. In fact, the restaurant has its own garden in back of the restaurant from which much of the food on the menu is harvested. It doesn’t get fresher than that. At an Edible Austin meet-and-greet, showcasing Austin-area restaurants that use local products, a few powerhouses such as The Driskill, Aquarelle and Cibo were present and provided delicious samples. Their chefs seem to think local goods are the way to go, and they probably know what they’re talking about. Even some of the more casual food providers, like Chomp, Boomerangs, ChowBaby, and Deli Bento agree. Local is in.

The Bee Cave Farmers’ Market, open Saturdays 9 am–2 pm and located on Highway 71 about a mile west of the RR 620 intersection, is also an excellent option. Started just over a year ago with only ten vendors, this little “engine that could” has had up to 60 participating vendors and has 20 or so consistently in attendance. South Austin Jug Band played their Fourth of July market in 2006; there was an Oktoberfest market last year, and the market also hosts charity events. Keeping the kids entertained is a common theme between these two markets: at the Bee Cave Farmers’ Market, there is an inflatable moonwalk and face painting.

Not to be bested by the Austin Farmers’ Market, the Bee Cave Farmers’ Market plays with the big boys too. Restaurants such as Moonshine, Bee Cave Bistro, and the Clubhouse Grille at the Spanish Oaks Country Club have all bought items from this market and incorporated their purchases into exceptionally delectable dishes. Some are convinced that a personal rapport with the grower actually improves the flavor of dishes prepared. Imagine eating a tomato and shaking the hand that plucked it off the vine! And, most markets encourage sampling. Chef Vincent makes some mean salsa and has won numerous awards that prove it. The Vegan Kitchen sells some superb vegan food made with local produce. There’s a smoothie stand. If nothing else, it is a farmers’ market. Go ahead… bite into that amazingly juicy peach.

Here are some of the tasty treats to throw on a grocery list before the first trip: tomatoes and garlic from outside of Marfa; blackberries from Pittsburg (Texas, of course); peaches! squash and zucchini from Fredericksburg; blueberries, strawberries, and okra from somewhere nearby; carrots, radishes, and scallions from Cat Spring (outside of Houston); onions and garlic from Blackland Prairies; and spectacular Fig Balsamic Vinaigrette, made by Bistro Blends out of Spicewood.

Grab a basket and give it a try.